When the curtain rose on the revamped production of House of Dancing Water, nearly five years had passed since it had last closed on the original. The return of this legendary aquatic spectacle, which premiered back in 2010, marks another milestone in Macao’s emergence as a hub for performing arts. Macao magazine attended House of Dancing Water’s May comeback at Cotai’s Dancing Water Theater, where the atmosphere was charged with anticipation.
It’s safe to say the new show lives up to the legacy. The production still transports its audience to a mythical kingdom, where they join a romantic voyager on his quest to rescue a princess from the Dark Queen. Its love story still unfolds on a state-of-the art stage that transforms from a dry platform into a vast pool of water in under a minute. Breathtaking aerial acrobatics and dazzling laser displays still inspire a sense of having witnessed something special. The over 6 million people who saw The House of Dancing Water (it has since dropped the definite article) during its wildly popular decade-long run will find much that is familiar. But enough has changed to make the experience feel fresh again, thanks largely to its new artistic director, Giuliano Peparini, a celebrated choreographer and former ballet dancer from Italy.
“It has been an extraordinary journey to reimagine House of Dancing Water, a show that holds such a special place in the hearts of many,” Peparini said at a press conference after the 7 May premiere, which was attended by government officials, regional celebrities and media from around the world.
In his reimagining, Peparini has introduced a playful new character named Sailor and an entirely new chapter to the storyline. His 90-minute production is also far more high-tech than its predecessor, featuring upgraded light projection systems and digital backdrops that create fluid transitions between underwater realms, enchanted forests and a futuristic cityscape. One of the original show’s signature elements, the Golden Boat, has been reengineered with a new hydraulic system allowing it to glide across the water with remarkable smoothness. The entire musical score, meanwhile, has been reorchestrated and recorded by a full symphony orchestra. Costumes worn by the cast have also undergone updates, with some acquiring a touch of cyberpunk flair. House of Dancing Water’s performers have always been brilliantly attired: skull masks used in the production have 3,000 Swarovski crystals sewn onto each.
There are nearly 2,000 seats in Dancing Water Theater – a purpose-built theatre-in-the-round located within Studio City – and each offers a magical view of its central stage-cum-pool. The pool itself is a marvel, one of very few of its kind in the world. It holds more than five Olympic-sized swimming pools’ worth of water, enabling performers to dive from towering heights and execute aquatic stunts that flow seamlessly with the show’s equally intricate dry-land and aerial choreography. One striking example is the Human Chandelier, a dramatic tableau revived from the original production.
From high above the stage, more than a dozen performers descend together, their their bodies arranged like the sparkling pendalogues of a grand chandelier. Another tableau, new to this version of the production, is the haunting Aquarium Cage scene in which Princess Aani appears suspended in a transparent cell – her long dark hair floating like seaweed in the water as her would-be saviour gazes longingly through the glass. The show later injects a jolt of adrenaline via motorbikes, launched high in the air by their riders in gravity-defying displays of bravado. This segment makes for a thrilling contrast to the show’s more ethereal moments.
Performing arts take centre stage
House of Dancing Water’s return is emblematic of Macao’s increasing focus on residency shows and large-scale concerts, which is happening with encouragement from the government. Elevating the city’s profile as a destination for performing arts and entertainment is a key part of Macao’s economic diversification strategy and seen as an effective means of attracting tourists. The production now shares the Cotai Strip with another permanent residency show, Macau 2049 – a tech-driven cultural spectacle created by renowned Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou that launched last December.
Macao’s concert calendar is also gaining momentum. This year alone, international acts such as Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, US rockstars Green Day and the South Korean singer Kyuhyun all graced the city’s stages. Hong Kong Cantopop icon Jacky Cheung, meanwhile, is set to perform a series of concerts across June and July.
According to Lawrence Ho, the CEO and chairman of Melco Resorts and Entertainment, House of Dancing Water has the potential to “shape Macao into a live performance destination [and support] the government’s initiative to sustain Macao’s positioning as the World Centre of Tourism and Leisure.”
The show is brought to life each night by a team of nearly 300 cast and crew, including former Olympic athletes, from over 30 countries. Its aquatic stage not only helps blur the line between fantasy and reality, but pushes the skills of its performers and technicians to the limit – making for a truly unforgettable experience in Macao.
